This invention relates to a water draining system for frames of motor vehicle sliding roofs, tilt-out roofs and similar devices, having at least one water draining pipe, consisting of plastic, for draining water from a water groove formed by the frame and surrounding an opening in the roof on at least on its circumference, via an aperture in the frame.
In the case of a known water draining system of this type (U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,843), a pipe-shaped connecting piece fastened at the frame is run through the aperture in the frame. At its inside end, the connecting piece has a flange that projects radially to the outside, said flange resting against the periphery of the rain groove. The water draining pipe is fitted on the outside end of the connecting piece. In an undesirable manner, the mounting of this water draining system requires considerable manual work with high expenditures with respect to testing and control.
It is also known (DE-OS 16 05 936) to weld onto a water draining pipe, a shaped part made of a springy elastic material which is stuck through the aperture in the frame and in the process is clipped to the frame. However, the clipped connection is critical in regard to the tightness than can be achieved.
The invention, therefore, has an objective of creating a water drainage system that is reliably and durably sealed off in a manner that requires less manual work for mounting and does not require extensive measures for testing and control.
Based on the water draining system of the initially mentioned type, this objective, according to the invention, is achieved by the fact that the water draining pipe is molded directly onto the frame.
By means of the direct molding of the water draining pipe or pipes onto the frame, an absolutely tight connection is achieved that requires little work.
In order to improve its tightness and mechanical stability, the arrangement is preferably made in such a way that the material of the water drainage pipe reaches around the edge of the frame aperture on both sides thereof.
Advantageously, the water draining pipe can be injection-molded onto the frame or, when it consists of rubber, can be vulcanized onto the frame.
For a further increase of the stability of the connection between the frame and the water draining pipe, the aperture is, advantageously, provided with an essentially cylindrical, pipe-type section which points toward the outside and is embedded into the molded-on water draining pipe.
In a further development of the invention, the bottom surface of the water groove is depressed, in the area of the aperture, in such a way that the lowest part of the inside edge of the draining pipe is no higher than the level of the exposed bottom surface of the water groove. This ensures a perfect and complete emptying of the water groove. Preferably, in this case, the inside edge of the draining pipe, at least in the lower area of the water groove, is flush with the area of the frame defining the water groove.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for the purposes of illustration only, a single embodiment in accordance with the present invention.